Page 98 of Should the Sky Fall

He can’t logically explain why the idea makes him feel warm and fuzzy, and why he’s suddenly thinking of crossing the distance between them and putting his lips on Cal’s, wondering if he kisses differently now too. Or why he wonders what kind of date they would go on now that Cal seems to have aversion to fancy stuff.We’d probably go to Lost and Ground. Anywhere with donuts,Dawson thinks. He almost wonders about other things too, things he hasn’t thought about in a very long time, things he didn’t even think he’d want anymore.

He shakes himself before his mind can wander off any further and make him even more confused than he already is.

“Didn’t know you were such a romantic,” he says, just to break the silence.

Cal shrugs. “Are you?”

“What?

“Romantic.”

He used to be. He used to be the King of Sap, dreaming of a Prince Charming who’d sweep him off his feet.

He got a reality check pretty fast.

“Not really. But that doesn’t mean I’m not a sucker for rom-coms,” he adds. Hopefully Cal gets the point that Dawson is trying to make him watch the movie.

Cal doesn’t say anything to that, but Dawson feels his gaze on him throughout the movie. He pretends not to notice.

“Hey. Thanks for coming,” Dawson says as he lets Ellis inside. He gives him a quick once-over. Under all that meticulous style and neat clothes, it’s obvious Ellis is bone tired.

“Thanks for the invite.”

Ellis walks in, hesitating when he sees the row of shoes lined up and takes in Dawson’s bare feet. “Shoes off?

“Don’t be a barbarian. Of course, shoes off,” Dawson says, trying to sound stern. It doesn’t work.

Ellis chuckles, kicking his shoes off. “You let me keep them last time I was here.”

“That doesn’t count. I was distressed.”

Something passes across Ellis’ face. It looks like concern, and Dawson thinks he might be about to ask something, but Cal chooses that moment to join them. Ellis’ attention is instantly on him.

“Hi.”

“Hello,” Cal says, a little awkwardly. “It’s nice to see you again.

“Yeah, you too. Sorry I’ve been MIA.”

“Why are you sorry? You’ve been busy with work because of me.”

Ellis looks taken aback, probably not used to such treatment from Cal. Dawson feels a deep sense of kinship.

“How’s it going, by the way?” Dawson asks, his guilt for not being of much help making a comeback.

Ellis does a so-so gesture with his hand. “It’s settling down, finally. Also, I talked to the lawyer.”

“Lawyer?” Cal asks. “For what?”

Ellis looks like he’s not sure if Cal is serious. “To deal with the charges against you and get the police off your back.”

If anything, Cal looks even more confused when he turns to Dawson with a helpless expression.

“The police get involved when there’s an accident. And you had alcohol in your blood while driving, so…”

Cal visibly tenses. “Am I in trouble?”

“Not nearly as much as you could be,” Ellis says sternly. “The lawyer thinks you will get away with a fine and won’t even have to go to court. But they’ll suspend your license for at least 27 months and you should have a few thousand at the ready.”